The Forgotten Rose {COMPLETED}

Part I: Chapter Thirty-Four - A Poisoned Crown

"I won't ever love you the same way I did, Richard." Anne said as she climbed under her bed sheets and beckoned for Richard to join her. "What you have done, what you may do. I cannot love you so dearly."

"I know." Richard replied as he climbed into the bed beside her. "You know I am sorry. I did it for my family."

"Yes, but what if Edward were to ask you to do such a thing again?" Anne asked him cautiously

"He won't, I am not going to do anything for him ever again. I'm not going to his court, I am not going to acknowledge him as my brother. He asked me to kill George." Richard confessed to Anne clutching onto her hand for support. "And when I refused he had him drown in my presence."

"His own brother." Anne was amazed and held Richard as he began to weep.

"He died in my presence, Anne. I watch the light of his eyes go out," Richard wept, "and I couldn't do anything to save him." Anne wrapped her arms tighter around him and kissed the top of his dark hair. "My own brother, my brother."

"It was not your fault."

"But it was. If I hadn't..."

"Shh..." Anne pressed her finger to his lips to silence him. "He was always going to die. Did Edward know you were visiting him?" Richard shook his head. "See, it was just a mistake. Just a mistake." Anne soothed him. She was calm, at least on the outside.

She had longed for the crown, since being a child she had wanted it. And she had once been promised it, when she was a girl of fifteen but she wasn't a little girl anymore. That life felt like a lifetime ago. She was a woman now about to turn twenty two, she wasn't wishing that fantasy anymore. That fantasy had been the death of her sister, and her brother-in-law. She was sure the crown was cursed.

"If we stay away from London, we shall be safe." Richard told her through teary eyes. "But when my brother, the king, dies we have to make our move. We have to stop them from reigning. They will kill us."

"No, no, Richard we don't want that. We don't want the crown." Anne said but Richard wasn't listening.

"You can be Queen like you always wanted, you can be Queen and I'll be king and our boy a prince. We'll be happy." Richard promised Anne.

"We are happy now. We are happy here. We don't need that fuss, that danger." Anne kissed Richards hand. She didn't want that. She lay flat on her back. She didn't want the crown. She laughed at herself, the girl determined to get the crown no longer wished for it, her husband once the humble brother wanted it in his grasp. Why did the tides always turn in such ways? Anne fell asleep fast after that, she didn't want to think she wanted to dream of a better place, away from the lies and deceit of her own world.

As Anne fell to sleep Richard rose and walked across the room to the window.

Richard smiled at her. He should be king, he didn't care if Anne thought it unwise. If he sat upon the throne he would rule justly, he would not had his wife murder his own brother. Even George did not deserve death for his crimes. Imprison him, fine him, make him take the cloth and turn to god. Let him become a priest, a cardinal or a bishop. Death was too simple.

And a good King should not kill his brother, no matter what crime he was guilty of.

It was true that Edward had the grace, the warm smile that comforted the realm and he could fight in battle better than the Kings of legend. But he was ruled by his Queen, she had the ideas. He could rule truly but she planted ideas in his head and he followed them. Edward was no politician, he was a king of legend, the warrior with the golden hair. He thought of nothing more than a few years ahead. The peace treaty with France, that would end in four years and no doubt it would not be renewed.

Richard was a warrior, although his battles were few he had face little defeat. He lacked the handsome face of his brother that much was true, but he knew how to rule. And you did not rule by killing your own brother.

He looked about the room it was so peaceful, Edward would destroy the peace. Richard drew his hand into a fist as he thought of his brothers crimes. Truly, what had Edward done for the good of England? He had broken loyalty to The Kingmaker and restarted the cousins war, losing his closest allies in the process. All for the hand of Elizabeth Woodville, the daughter of a witch.

"I here by name thee, Richard Plantagenet, King of England." He stated holding his head high as if he were balancing the crown upon it. "All hail King Richard. Long may he reign."

Richard took himself away from the window and went to Anne's bed. He peeled back the sheets and lay himself upon the feather mattress. Anne was sleeping soundly. He smiled. He was tired. The moment his head hit the plump pillow, he fell asleep.

He dreamt of princes, and princesses. Kings and Queens. Himself upon the throne and Anne at his side. She had desired the throne, he would give it to her. She still wanted it deep down, he was sure, it didn't matter what she said. Every woman wanted the crown. He would give it to her If it was the last thing he did.